Mid way through July I joined the Fashion On The Ration Challenge 2024 on the Money Saving Expert Forum. The idea is that you give yourself 66 imaginary coupons to spend on clothes, shoes, fabric and yarn for a year. Some accessories are also included. It's based on the number of clothing ration coupons each person in the UK received during World War Two, though later in the war it reduced to 48.
I've put a list of how much each item costs in coupons at the end of the post, copied from the challenge.
Why bother at all now, why play at rationing when clothes are so abundant? It's precisely because clothes are so plentiful that I'm doing it. I don't buy many new clothes but I do buy lots second hand, which is cheaper and had less environmental impact but is still part of the endless consumption treadmill.
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| Recent charity shop finds perfect for fresh mint tea |
I have a lot of clothes. If I used my existing clothes wisely, cared for and mended them, I would hardly need to buy anything new for at least a couple of years, just underwear. Most clothes buying by me is driven by boredom or dissatisfaction. I've enjoyed refreshing my wardrobe this year with new to me clothes, trying different styles and rediscovering the joy of clothes, their colours, textures and shapes. However, it's now time to appreciate what I've got.
The ration coupons are for new items only, but I'm also using it as a structure to help me use what I have and buy second hand clothes rarely and strategically. For example, I have very few hot weather clothes have have a Winter sun holiday booked so I'm looking for two Summer dresses in charity shops.
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| An out of season £2 bargain, put away for mince pies at Christmas. Maybe this year I'll master gluten free pastry and make my own to grace this platter |
Regarding new items, I had 33 coupons as I joined half way through the year, but just before I joined I bought several new things so I decided to be honest with myself and count them in the challenge. This leaves me with 9 coupons for the rest of the year, which is enough to replace any real essentials I can't buy second hand.
I'm enjoying the challenge so far, it's really helping me to look at what I have differently.
Ration Coupons Per Item
Lined mackintosh or coat over 28" - 14 coupons
Under 28" short coat or jacket - 11 coupons
Frock, gown or dress of wool - 11 coupons
Frock, gown or dress of other fabric - 7 coupons
Bodice with girls skirt or gym tunic - 8 coupons
Pyjamas - 8 coupons
Divided skirt or skirt – 7 coupons
Nightdress - 6 coupons
Dungarees or overalls - 6 coupons
Blouse, shirt, sports top, cardigan or jumper - 5 coupons*
Pair of slippers, boots or shoes – 5 coupons
Other garments including corsets - 3 coupons
Petticoat or slip, cami-knickers or combinations - 4 coupons
Apron or pinafore - 3 coupons
Scarf, gloves, mittens or muff - 2 coupons
Stockings per pair - 2 coupons
Ankle socks per pair – 1 coupon
1 meter wool cloth – 3 coupons, non-woollen cloth is 2 coupons
50g of wool knitting yarn – 1 coupon
Assumptions for the Challenge:-
- Based on the quantity of fabric and work involved, a "corset" is the equivalent of two bras, therefore each bra is 1.5 coupons.
- Ditto one pair of Cami-knickers would equal two pairs of modern bikini-style knickers or thongs, making each pair of modern knickers 2 coupons.
- Bodice with skirt = shirt/blouse/t-shirt purchased at the same time as a matching or co-ordinating skirt or trousers = 8 coupons in total.
- Dungarees = jeans = 6 coupons.
- Ditto trousers.
- Oodies = siren suits and cost the same as a dressing gown, i.e. 8 coupons for a man and 6 for a woman.
- Leggings count as 2 coupons, the same as thermal tights.
- Second-hand clothing is exempt.
- Leather handbags aren't mentioned anywhere in the clothing coupon data. The assumption is that they weren't made once the war was in full swing. Ditto leather wallets and purses. I assume a leather handbag involves the same effort and leather as a pair of shoes at 5 coupons. A new wallet/purse can be 2 coupons.
- Stockings/tights. At 2 coupons a pair, stockings are really expensive in coupon-terms. Because of your connection to the armed forces, you have been given 6 special vouchers for those 4-pair value packs, which will not require coupons to redeem. Each voucher can also be swapped for a pair of thermal tights or leggings.
- If something isn't listed under women's clothing, but is listed under men's, assume its the same coupon cost as men's , e.g. shorts aren’t mentioned in the list of women’s clothing, so ladies shorts cost the same as the men’s - 5 coupons.
- Hats are listed in the fine print. They are coupon free.
- Leather and cotton belts are coupon free.
- Swimsuits cost 3 coupons and fall into the category of "Other Under Garments including Corsets".
- A t-shirt is 4 coupons.